Minocycline Ameliorates Neuronal Loss after Pilocarpine-Induced Status epilepticus - Abstract
Minocycline is an antibiotic agent that has been shown to have neuroprotective properties in animal models of ischemia, Huntington’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. However, data are lacking regarding the neuroprotective effects of minocycline treatment following pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus. Rats were treated with 25 mg/kg minocycline 2 hours after the onset of pilocarpine-induced SE. The hippocampus was examined for neuronal loss and microglia proliferation. The rats were monitored for the development of spontaneous recurrent seizures.
Minocycline treatment was found to reduce seizure-induced neuronal loss in the hippocampus. Although minocycline treatment did not significantly inhibit microglia activation, a modest reduction in microglial cell number was related to greater neuroprotection. Finally, a single-dose of minocycline did not prevent the occurrence of spontaneous behavioral seizures. Taken together, the findings suggest that Minocycline treatment is neuroprotective after SE.